Your thoughts on Dwarf and SD retics?

[Sauzo]

Hello! So, I have 2 ball pythons, a BCI, and two cresties. I love love LOVE retics (Thanks Sauzo )! I don't think I have space now for one though. But... dwarf and SDs. What do you think? I've heard people say they are insane, but some say they are just like normals. See, I was considering a retic as a next step in the future. Future. Future. Future. Future. Future. Future. Got it? One more time: Future. I wanted to start saving up now, as they are EXPENSIVE and all I have rn is $3 lol. I've heard of people getting big big vision cages and putting them under their twin bed, which I think is a really good idea. So, I might be able to get a normal retic thing now (not now, you know what I mean) as a baby, and put him in a tub/20 gallon until he's big enough to go into the 50/60 gal vision tank I'll have by then. BUT! The main reason I love reticulated pythons is for the personality, so if dwarf/SDs are like that, that would be a game changer. Sorry this is all over the place. Thanks!

Well, I personally wouldnt want a mainland as i dont want anything over 10 feet. That might be something you want to keep in mind. That is why i went with a SD although Caesar isnt so SD really lol. He is between 7-8 feet or maybe even a little longer. i havent bothered to measure him.

I also would start him off in a big cage, at least a 4x2 but more like a 6x3. Retics arent too shy and just give him a few hides as a baby and he will be fine. They grow insanely fast, so a 20 gallon tank will last you maybe 6 months if you are lucky. Caesar was about 2 feet at 5 months old.

As for food, each retic will be different. Some will push if not fed, some are mellow. Caesar will be 2 years old this May and he eats either a jumbo rat or XL guinea pig every 10 days or so.

Also retics seem to need a lot more maintenance as they seem to love to piss and poop. Also they seem to get in a lot more trouble lol. I just had to slide Caesar's upper lip off a tooth as he somehow bit through his upper lip while grabbing his rat. It was not fun for either of us.

Retics are awesome but they take much more dedication on your part than with something like a ball python. They are also a lot more expensive in care.

[Sauzo]

If you think that snake is big take a look at this video. It will make you think twice before getting a full blooded Mainland retic. It's one of the reasons I've decided to stick with Dwarf and Super Dwarf retics, my 50% dwarf may get as big as 100 pounds at the end of her life but no where near the size of this beast.

That snake, Twinkie, is freakin morbidly obese. Look at how the tail looks so thin while the rest of him looks like a stuffed sausage. It's like the tail was cut off a smaller snake and glued onto that huge snake. A snakes tail should be in proportion to its body.

[Sauzo]

Thank you!! Super helpful!! I think I should look at kalatoa crosses (if that's a thing...). Might be the biggest thing though, will all SD's grow to eat rabbits? They are pricey! Would it be possible to do like 3 jumbo rats..? Thank you! I'm understanding a bit more

Most SD morphs you find out there will be some kalatoa. You want to make sure you know how much percent the snake is and how big the parents are.

Like i said, Caesar will be 2 years old this May and while i bet he could eat a small rabbit, that would be pretty much it. He could east 3 jumbo rats but there is no way he would need it. He gets 1 jumbo rat or 1 XL guinea pig every 10 days or so. And this is based on the fact that like i said, Caesar is easily pushing 8 feet from when i see him stretching out in his cage and i kind of use the cage walls as measuring tape lol. When we had the bonding of trying to unhook his lip from his tooth, he wrapped around my whole waist as well as down one leg and still had snake to spare.....and I'm not a thin guy lol. To give you an idea, the end vent is the halfway make on a 6 foot cage and that shelf is 10 inches wide. Caesar is a good size but not overly big. He is easily longer than Rosey my 5 year old BCI but not as thick.

[Sauzo]

I love this morph! Those purples on the head are incredible! I love the muted tent.

http://www.bobclark.com/available/reticulated_pythons/

(9th down, on the right)

Go for a pied!!! That is my list but right now there is no SD pieds so it would have to be a male mainland and pray it stays smaller lol.

[Gio]

That snake, Twinkie, is freakin morbidly obese. Look at how the tail looks so thin while the rest of him looks like a stuffed sausage. It's like the tail was cut off a smaller snake and glued onto that huge snake. A snakes tail should be in proportion to its body.

Absolutely correct!

That snake is in terrible condition, and has been pushed for growth. There is nothing impressive or healthy about that animal.

Seeing it is actually sad and if it isn't dead already it will be soon.

I mentioned in my initial post that a lot of the keepers in the UK. feel we tend to over feed here.

I think generally most snakes in captivity are fed rather generously, which isn't necessarily good or bad, but it can waiver toward bad quickly.

There are some wild type retics that are huge but look nothing like that Twinkie.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...ew-record.html

A reticulated python should be lean, very muscular, and agile. It should be able to move gracefully through ground cover and have the ability to climb about anything.

They are said to be the "KINGS" of the constrictors. I don't believe that title is given just based on length alone.

This is pretty telling.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Aze5pRETgM

Back to topic.
A male, pure SD or even a male SD X D with a touch of mainland, in most cases will be a very good keep.

Some mainland animals are not huge at all. Not every BCC boa constrictor is 10-12 feet. Some may get that big but most don't . Not every retic be it male or female is a sure thing to be giant.

Find the right breeder, ask the right questions and buy what's right for you.

As Sauzo stated, and I'll echo it; "I didn't want a snake that was going to be 10 feet long." I think 9-10" is doable if the snake stays on the lean side which is a characteristic of SDs and dwarves.

JMcrook's perfect SD beauty.
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...heavy-)/page49

Well raised animal IMO. No fat, lean and long. Not too long though. Female SD!

Good luck!

[Godzilla78]

If you think that snake is big take a look at this video. It will make you think twice before getting a full blooded Mainland retic. It's one of the reasons I've decided to stick with Dwarf and Super Dwarf retics, my 50% dwarf may get as big as 100 pounds at the end of her life but no where near the size of this beast.

That is just fatter. Ugh! I like the Tiger I posted much better. It is just as long as this snake, and very massive, but this one looks just obese.

[jmcrook]

Yeah, Twinkie died like 4 years ago and I think was only 8 years old. Faaaaaaaaaaaat


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[Godzilla78]

Your purple/orange python is just awesome, Xshevi. Very good story, makes me want a retic even more.

[Sauzo]

Haha Jacob beat me to it. Yeah Twinkie died and he wasnt that old, didnt know he was only 8 years old though...or i just dont remember, dang old age

[jmcrook]

Haha Jacob beat me to it. Yeah Twinkie died and he wasnt that old, didnt know he was only 8 years old though...or i just dont remember, dang old age

I was wrong. Died at one month past her 11th bday. Still grossly obese regardless of age


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